In a few days you will have made it through the dull drudgery that is the month of January. To reward yourself, why not treat yourself to an arty evening and get out and support local theatre in Leeds? The Leeds Art Centre, in association with The Carriageworks, present to you their production of The Weir, which first premiered in 1997 at The Royal Court.
The play, set in a remote corner of isolated Ireland, takes place within the local pub. As an audience member you’re invited to buy a drink, settle in yourself, and listen as the locals begin to talk and events begin to unfold in real time.
Hoping to spook newcomer and urbanite Valerie from Dublin, locals Jack, Jim and Brendan spin tales about the house Valerie is moving into, talking of the ‘wee folk’ and ‘strange happenings’ in the area. Valerie, unmoved by their attempts to either impress or scare her, returns with a story of her own. True characters are revealed and stories take surprising twists as a result – in turn chilling and heart-warming as the play goes on.
Playwright Conor McPherson is adept at dialogue, and examining relationships in unusual settings. The Weir is consistently cited as a significant piece of contemporary theatre, and Michael Billington, The Guardian’s theatre critic, names it as one of his 101 greatest plays of all time.
Make sure you catch this exciting, intimate production at The Carriageworks, from the 1st -4th February. You can book tickets through the council here.
Heather Nash
(Image courtesy of Leeds Art Centre)